Colors of a Wolf
by Littlepup44
Summary: A bed time story based off of an Anubis and Lupus legend is told to cubs before they sleep. What happens when Kindle; a young she-wolf, trips over these legends trying to look for her brother who vanishes after protecting a few cubs from a raid by another pack, and finds out something horrendous; someone has been playing telephone with this 'story'.
1. Chapter 1

"Once upon a time, a-"

"No, no! You can't start it like that. It's a dark story so, you got to start it off differently. 'Once upon a time' is too sappy."

"Fine, fine. Whatever you say... Ahem.. Once upon a _dark_ time. There were two brothers. Lupus and Anubis. Lupus was born from the sky, like us, while Anubis was born from... the Underneath. They were both very ancient, sacred beings. Lupus was gifted with the blue eyes of the sky. While Anubis was gifted with the red eyes of the underneath. Beasts from the sky made Lupus to protect the Earth from the two Land Walkers that were made, as did the beasts of the underneath. But where Lupus was naturaly pure of the sky... Anubis was naturaly tainted of the underneath. It was Great Lupus' job to create with gentle kindness and it was Anubis' job to protect it with ambitious fighting skill... but it wasn't enough for Anubis; he became hungry for power. Anubis betrayed Lupus by gathering half of Lupus' disciples and turning them against him! All of Anubis' followers eye's turned black and empty with hatred and they sought to overthrow Great Lupus who wasn't interested in fighting with Anubis... Lupus loved Anubis too much and it wasn't in his nature to destroy, only create. So when Anubis and his followers entered Lupus' territory, the disciples slaughtered each other. After the battle, Anubis was seriously injured in the fight and knew he would die, so he forced Lupus to kill him by taking one of his cubs hostage... Lupus, poisoned by the stench of so much death and hatred, complied... and snapped Anubis' neck, without even touching him! Lupus; heartbroken, then began to cry. His tears then flowed like the river and took away all the death and hatred, giving the world a new start in life and not long after, Great Lupus died of his broken heart."

A tiny whimper from a small, white wolf cub caused a bigger, brown wolf cub to roll his eyes. " _Nalan_ , you're such a no moon cub." The pup groaned, shaking his head helplessly.

"Am not!" Nalan snapped shakily, tears still in her eyes. She gave a little sniffle.

The two adults watching, both looked at each other in amusement before the black adult male with orange eyes stood to his paws, towering over the small wolf cubs sternly. "Come on now you two, we told you your story now follow Cricket's example will you?" He growled. The two cubs looked over in the corner of then den at their sleeping friend reluctantly.

"Go on, you heard Hurusum. Get to sleep!" The white she-wolf growled sharply. Nalan crawled obediently if not fearfully towards Cricket, the other stayed behind glaring at them.

The white she-wolf glared back before leaning back on her haunches and sighing, looking away from him then to nowhere in particular with a bored expression. "Such a shame." She sighed, closing her eyes and Hurusum glanced at her oddly, flicking up an ear. "I was starting to enjoy telling night-tails... it'd be a shame if I had to stop because of one, rebellious cub who wouldn't go to sleep like he was told." The she-wolf sighed once more before smirking, peeking through one, bright, green eye.

Hurusum chuckled beside her as the last cub hurriedly turned tail and ran to join his sleeping friends.

"Clever, but I think my intimidation still would've worked." Hurusum snorted playfully, turning away to exit the den.

The she-wolf got to her paws and followed him out with a roll of her eyes. "They're supposed to sleep in the den, not wee themselves in it." She said jokingly, pushing her shoulder into the black male's haunches.

"Hey! You were scarier than I was! Poor Nalan, I bet she did wee herself. And guess whose going to have to clean it up?" Hursum jumped away from her to stand muzzle to muzzle, eyes narrowed but before she could answer, he did it for her. "Azalae! And no one wants to deal with _that_." He shuddered and she couldn't help but agree, feeling a chill go up her spine.

"Well, hopefully it doesn't come to that, we're still young too, yah know. I'll just blame it on my immaturity." She woofed jokingly, walking past Hurusum's nose with her own in the air.

"Kindle, seriously. I am not getting chewed on by _Azalae_." Hurusum growled. He moved to follow her but something stopped him and it wasn't good. His nose searched the air and it wasn't hard to pick up a sinister stench of Redsky wolves.

Kindle stilled as well, ears upright. "Kindle." Hurusum's voice came from beside her, his eyes were darting from left to right. "I'll lead them away, you go back to the cubs." He said in a low, urgent voice.

Kindle's green eyes darted to his orange ones, narrowed. "No, I'm the faster runner. We'll run together, scatter our scent, then break off. It'll give you a head start to get away. Alright?" Kindle's green, fiery eyes bore into his defiantly and they had no time to argue, so he nodded firmly.

Without a word, Kindle took off and Hurusum followed her. There was a loud rustling behind them and a few outraged snarls before the chase started but Kindle and Hurusum had a good start to weave in and out of the trees as if confused and lost.

They both met each other under a sapling, panting heavily. "I'll run quicker than the wind and bring back help." Kindle said quickly. Hurusum nodded and Kindle's throat tightened as she searched his warm, flamable eyes before quickly turning away and dashing towards the howls of pursuit.

Hurusum watched her, knowing it was too hard for her to say goodbye... because there was a chance they weren't coming out of this alive. "Goodbye, dear sister." Hurusum said softly before she could vanish into the thicket.

Having successfully approached the den they left the three cubs in, Hurusum guessed they took the bait and followed Kindle. Lupus guide her, Hurusum prayed before entering the den. "Cubs? Cubs! Wake up!" Hurusum whispered urgently, probbing them awake.

Jeremih, the brown, male cub yawned, blinking open his eyes sleepily. "H-Huh... what's going on, uncle Huru?" He asked sleepily, swaying to his paws and Cricket did as well, plopping onto her haunches with a dreamy like look on her face.

"We're moving to a new den." Hurusum lied and both cubs instantly jumped awake, eyes widened excitedly.

"Wow, cool!" He shouted, making Hurusum flinch before shushing him quickly but he paused, searching the den with his eyes then landing them back on Jeremih.

"Where is Nalan?" He asked quickly, nosing the two aside to sniff at the ground.

"I dunno... I think she went to potty." Jeremih yawned, rubing his eyes with one paw. "I saw her walk out after stepping on my nose." The pup growled grumpily, eyes squinting as he remembered the rude disruption of his awesome dreams.

"Um.. alright, let's go." Hurusum rushed them to their tired paws but the strong smell of Redsky wolves stopped him in his tracks. He forced his fur to stay put. "Uuh..." He said nervously, shifting his eyes around the den... Then he widened his eyes in realization. The secret exit Kindle and I used to use when we were cubs! He looked towards the entrance of the den then towards the cubs who were beginning to look uncomfortable. Hurusum leaned down to the two cubs and spoke mischeviously to them. "I think Nalan is playing hide and seek past her bed time. Want to help me find her?"

Jeremih smirked and Cricket tilted her head. "You have to be very quiet so you don't give your position away, okay? So will you help me?" Hurusum asked quietly and both pups quickly nodded their heads, looking excited. "Good! Now there's three rocks in the back of the den, one is shaped like a pile of stink. If you move it, you can find the way out. Meet me under the black berry bushes and whatever you do, do not move until I get there. Okay?" Hurusum instructed, both pups were already scurrying off to find the rock that looked like a pile of stink. Hurusum smiled weakly before lifting his head and looking towards the entrance of the den, muzzle twitching angrily.

As he stood at the mouth of the den, Huru was faced with four terrifying looking wolves. The one with the nicked ear held a trembling Nalan in his jaws, whose eyes widened on Hurusum before whimpering out helplessly. Hurusum growled, letting his hackles and fur rise. "Let her go!" Hurusum snarled, eyeing the four threateningly.

He dropped Nalan upon the ground and she quickly ran to Hurusum who breathed in relief as she ran under him and hid behind his legs. "Your wish is my command... but it comes with a price." The one with the torn ear sneered. "Have you ever played the game... keep away?" He cackled viciously and they all revealed their canines, snarling while closing in. Hurusum eyed all of them nervously then gathered Nalan in his jaws before darting away.

The four wolves gave a twisted noise of amusement before giving chase once more.

X-X-X-X

There was a hard thud of a solid body meeting the forest floor. Then as Kindle tried to control her breathing, a large, black paw came out and slammed down on the head of a Redsky wolf. A muzzle revealing a row of large, glinting canines shone in the moonlight, red-like eyes coming into view. "Kindle." It's deep voice caused the white she-wolf to flick her ears slightly backwards but there was no time to be submissive. "Explain." It demanded, rotating it's foot upon the head of the dead wolf.

"We have to get back to the den, Hurusum and the pups are in trouble!" Kindle panted heavily. She felt as if her chest were going to cave in and suffocate her.

The red eyes narrowed and immediately it lifted it's head to the sky and howled.


	2. Chapter 2

Hurusum felt blood in his maw as he continued to flee with Nalan in his jaws, vaguely realizing he was slowly sinking his teeth into the pup's skin but the poor, frightened youngster was too afraid to notice any pain. This had to end soon. Just when the thought came to mind, something slammed into him from behind, digging whatever sharp thing it was into his haunches. Hurusum tumbled, Nalan skidding from his jaws with terrified yaps.

A groan escaped Huru as he watched Nalan skid to a halt by a tree, her stomach laying flat along the ground as if she were trying to melt into it, paralyzed with fear.

There was a cackle from both sides of the darkness. Two of the four Redsky wolves stalked from hiding, bodies rippling with power and experience, while Huru had none. He had barely come into adult-hood. His orange eyes looked over his shoulder, where the pain on his haunches were magnified by a tug. "Please." Hurusum pleaded, looking at the three individually. "I don't care what you do to me, she's just a cub, leave her be."

The smell belonging to the leader of the raid party snorted in amusement and Huru turned his head as he revealed hiself from the darkness. "'She's just a cub', eh? Weren't I a cub once?" The large male sneered, slowly approaching Nalan, his pawsteps threatening. "Look at me now, a killer." He began in a snarl.

 _Wrong!_ Hurusum growled, bending himself so he could reach around and bite his holder on the face.

 _We aren't like you!_

As Hurusum was released, he darted towards Nalan who was watching him with wide, frightened eyes.

 _It doesn't matter what happens to me!_

Hurusum charged down the Redsky wolf who looked at him in surprise. The raid leader then quickly reached for Nalan whose widened eyes squeezed shut in preperation.

"I was once a cub but look at me now! I sacrifice my own life, for another!" As the Redsky wolf snatched up Nalan, Hurusum's head busted up against his ribcage, causing him to drop Nalan with a choking sound, who skidded towards an edge of a cliff with him.

"Hurusum!" Kindle's voice called frantically but he didn't listen or look. His eyes were glued on Nalan who was about to tumble over a complete drop, into thin air. He worked his paws the best he could, debri digging into his pads as he rocketed after her on his belly. His head was still ringing from the contact on the Redsky wolf who went over the cliff with an ear shattering howl but he still caught Nalan by the scruff right before she disappeared.

As he slid with Nalan still in his jaws, in slow-motion, over the drop, Hurusum's heart jolted in his chest as he realized that he cannot save his-self and Nalan. So he tossed his muzzle away from the cliff and let Nalan go while he, himself, fell over the cliff with a cry that echoed through the lands.

"NO!" Kindle howled, sprinting to the cliff's edge and looking down. "Hurusum!" She howled desperately, pacing along the cliff's edge but all she could see was a pool of darkness.

"Is she okay?" A grey and white wolf questioned Azalae; a gold and brown wolf fussing viciously over a ball of white, wailing fur.

Kindle stopped pacing and let the wind solemnly rustle the mane of her fur, staring over the cliff blankly. "He can't be gone." She whispered.

"Kindle." A deep voice called out to her and Kindle looked to her shoulder where a black wolf with deep, blue eyes sat beside her.

"Oh Chains, he can't be gone!" Her voice cracked and she nuzzled into the fur on his neck, breathing shakily. Chains softened his blue eyes, placing his chin over her head.

"It is okay, Kindle. I will not give up on my little brother that easy." Chains growled softly and Kindle leaned away from him, looking up into his eyes in confusion. "I am going to find Hurusum. Whether he is dead or alive." The large wolf growled, determination set within his eyes.

"Let me come with you!" Kindle pleaded, jumping to her paws instantly.

"Be calm, sister. I will make sure to put your name out." Chains said getting to his paws. His tail struck out as he turned away from the cliff and Kindle frowned as her dignified held brother strolled towards Chagrin who was sitting over Azalae protectively. He's changed ever since the day Chagrin introduced his 'exceptional' skills to the Alpha.

Kindle sighed, looking over the cliff once more before joining Kuru and Riotess.

X-X-X-X

A thundering snarl broke out into the night, it's echo making it more menacing for the cornered Redsky wolves. The two beaten and bloodied wolves backed away cautiously from the approaching monster of the dark, whose jowls pulled back to reveal monstrous canines. "What is Redsky doing in my territory?" It's deep growl had enough force to put the two wolves onto their bellies, unable to resist an Alpha's commanding power.

"You Bluesky wolves are fools!" One of them spat defiantly, huddling up against his friend protectively. "You have something that is ours, we came to take it back!" He snapped, teeth clanging together defensively.

"If you wanted something back, you should have asked, but you come into my home and threaten a helpless cub... and lead one of my wolves to their death." The dark male sat upon his haunches, wrapping his tail around, red eyes narrowing agressively. "Hardly the way to go about things."

"We were proving a point of your unforgiving act." The other snarled, getting the courage to stand. His companion followed his example, eyes narrowed.

The red-eyed male tilted his head and smirked, tapping his dark tail upon the terrain in mock amusement. "The only point you've proven, is war." The last bit of his sentence ended in a snarl and the howls of the Redsky wolves being ripped apart filled the air.

That night was the first night, everything began.


	3. Chapter 3

The sun was high in the sky; where little puffs of clouds floated in it's blue midst. Chains; beta in training to the Alpha's Co-Alpha position padded leisurely along the side of a light-red, lithe she-wolf. Her amber eyes were hard, tail raised and stiff.

They said nothing to each other as they continued down a empty path of ivy thorns but their paw-steps were so light, nothing penetrated their pads.

The she-wolf glanced crudely at Chains who ignored her disdain, breaking into a trot ahead of her. "How long have we been training together, Inori?" Chains' low voice growled out softly.

He stopped at the top of the ivy hill, blue eyes giving a fond twinkle of peace that the scenery presented.

Inori's eyes narrowed slightly but she didn't bother to answer him and instead sat at the top of the hill, looking over it as well.

"Since your first ancestors. Our families were rivals." His mumbling caused Inori to close her eyes in annoyance.

"What do you want?" She growled, her voice rough and dangerous.

Chains finally sat beside her. "My brother is still alive. I must look for him." He answered without looking at her.

A low growling sound came from Inori as she thought about his words, abruptly getting to her paws to head back to the pack. "Good luck."

"Inori." Chains cut in from her secret escape and her paw came down a little harder than expected upon the ivy, causing thorns to sink into her pads. She looked back, jowls pulled back viciously. He was leaving and they were surely about to go to war with Redsky. _Don't act like you are saying goodbye to me, you insolent fool_.

"Just don't die, it's simple as that." She snorted, lifting her now injured paw up to examine it. Her tongue licked over it before she continued on her way without another word or look.

The male camly watched her departure before turning his eyes back on the endless lakes and forests in front of him.

X-X-X-X

A smaller and fluffier Chains stood over a smaller and fluffier Inori; who was breathing heavily. Dust and bruises covered her small body and Chains worried tilted his head, reaching a paw out to her. "Hey...-"

Inori smacked it away, shakily getting to her paws. A shadow was over her face as she padded away. Kindle and Hurusum gathered around their eldest brother within the litter, jumping excitedly around his paws. Chains watched Inori walk away for a moment longer, frowning before tending to his sibling's attention, smiling kindly.

Inori had took Chains' divided attention to look over at him, staring at that smile on his face he gave his brother and sister before continuing to walk away without any hard feelings at all.

X-X-X-X

As Chains reminisced upon their past, he smiled weakly. Back then, Chains was able to beat Inori at anything but it all ended the same. As anyone from Inori's side of the family got older, they were always able to beat anyone from Chains' side of the family but as pups... it was the opposite.

The only one Chains knew that was able to break it was his mother; Nalan but she had passed away before he even got to know her.

As Inori exited the ivy path, she looked back up the prickly hill, eyes hard. She never wanted to see that look on his face for as long as she lived. That look without the smile she would secretly glance at when he wasn't looking.

 _I really do wish you luck, Chains. Find your brother and bring him home so I don't have to gaze upon the stupid look on your face._

"Inori." A deep voice growled out. Inori gave a startle flick of her ears, gazing into the darkness to the right of her.

She wrinkled her snout as blood trickled from the darkness, red eyes soon revealing themselves. A black wolf soon strolled into view and in his jaws was one of the Redsky wolves from lastnight, drenched in its' own blood.

He gave a soft growl before dropping the dead wolf on the floor. The muscle in his jaw-line flexed, his blood-stained muzzle and chest glistening in the sun.

"Gather my top subordinates in front of my den." He ordered, walking past Inori slowly.

Inori stepped back slightly, looking up the ivy hill once more. "Chains is looking for Hurusum. I'm sure he's gone already. Should I go after him?" She asked, setting her eyes back on the black male who's piercing, red eyes were glaring into her own.

"No, leave him. Now go." He growled, walking past her again and picking up the dead wolf.

She hesitated, eyes landing upon the dead Redsky wolf he was dragging along with him. _Curious_. The black wolf suddenly stopped and slowly gave her a threatening look at the corner of his eye. Inori flinched, lowering her eyes before quickly setting off to what he told her to do.

X-X-X-X

Kindle sat at the cliff Hurusum disappeared over, sadly watching a flock of birds fly by. The look on her brother's eyes as he fell over. She would never forget it.

Her jaws clenched together angrily. Redsky... will pay for this.

"Kindle."

The white she-wolf looked behind her, smiling at her older brother expectantly. "Chains!" She jumped to her paws, tail swaying behind her to greet him by brushing her head under his chin.

"Let us go. We must hurry... The air is beginning to smell foul." He growled, looking up into the sky.

"I'm way ahead of you!" Kindle's far-away voice caught Chains off guard. His ears perked as he followed her receding figure that leads to the foot of the tall cliff.

He smiled helplessly before going after her.

X-X-X-X

Somewhere far off into the East. A black wolf has washed ashore from a flowing river, disturbing a lone, grey she-wolf who jumped back in surprise. Her grey eyes blinked down at the young male, maybe her age.

Dead?

She lingered over his body, lifting her head to look around before blinking down upon the male suspiciously.

He didn't seem to be breathing. The female tilted her head, leaning her snout down to sniff him closely.

Then his one eye slowly opened and she recoiled as if burned for the orange in his eyes were like a bright flame.

"Where... am I?"


End file.
